New NMC Notification March 2026 PDF Download — MCI Rules for FMGE, Philippines MBBS & 54-Month Course

1CRMI Applicability — Which Rules Apply to You?

The March 2026 notification makes it crystal clear:

• Joined BEFORE 18 November 2021: You are governed by the old Screening Test Regulations 2002. If you have duly compensated online studies with physical onsite clinical/theory training AND completed 1-year internship at your foreign university AND passed exams equivalent to MBBS — you follow the old rules.
• Joined AFTER 18 November 2021: You are governed by FMGL Regulations 2021 + CRMI Regulations 2021. You MUST undergo 1-year mandatory internship in India (CRMI) after your foreign degree. All other conditions from the 7 December 2023 notice remain in force.

You cannot choose which rules to follow. Your admission date decides everything.

2Online Study CANNOT Be Compensated Without Extending Study Period

This is the most critical clarification in the 2026 notification:

• Compensation without extension of the study period is NOT acceptable. It is contrary to FMGL Regulations 2021.
• The course and clerkship must commensurate with the Indian MBBS course (Graduate Medical Education Regulations 1997).
• Medical education requires substantial hands-on learning, clinical exposure, and practical experience — which cannot be effectively substituted by virtual instruction alone.
• Any FMG who studied a portion of their course online must undergo equivalent in-person training to make up for that exact duration.

Red flag: If your university issued a "compensation certificate" without actually extending your study period and without ensuring additional training occurred in physical mode — that certificate is INVALID. NMC will reject your registration.

3Compensation Certificate Must Contain Extended Academic Period Details

The March 2026 notification mandates that compensation certificates MUST specify:

• Details of subjects completed during offline compensation (both theory and practical)
• Clinical subjects undertaken during physical onsite compensation
• Mandatory clerkship details completed during the compensation period
• Extended academic period — the exact duration added to compensate for online study

Additionally, the transcript of record must be duly apostilled and authenticated by the Indian Embassy or High Commission in the respective country.

4Two Academic Years CANNOT Be Compressed Into One Year

NMC explicitly clarifies that academic years cannot be compressed. The entire online study period must be adequately compensated through physical onsite training. You cannot complete a 2-year curriculum in 1 year of offline study.

This directly affects students who did online classes during COVID-19 and are now trying to rush through compensation. Slow down and do it right. Your entire career depends on this.

5State Medical Councils Have Primary Responsibility for FMG Registration

The March 2026 notification places the primary responsibility for processing FMG applications on State Medical Councils (SMCs), in consultation with State Directorates of Medical Education (DMEs).

SMCs must verify and ensure:

• The FMG has completed compensatory academics (theory + practical) at the same foreign medical institution
• Verification through visa stamping and entry/exit records in the passport
• The FMG has qualified the Screening Test/FMGL Examination
• The FMG has completed 1-year CRMI in India as prescribed

Prescribed sequence: (i) Qualify Screening Test + submit degree/clerkship certificates → (ii) Grant of provisional registration for CRMI → (iii) Grant of permanent registration after CRMI completion.

Warning: No SMC shall grant permanent registration unless ALL conditions are fully verified. Any registration granted without following these rules will be considered a regulatory violation and can be revoked retrospectively.

154-Month Minimum Course Duration

The foreign medical degree must be at least 54 months (4.5 years) of academic study, excluding internship. The course must commensurate with the Indian MBBS curriculum under Graduate Medical Education Regulations 1997.

Philippines: Old 4-year MD programs no longer qualify. Ensure your college offers 54-month MD or integrated BS-MD pathway.

212-Month Internship at Same University

You must complete 12 months of internship/clerkship at the same foreign medical institution where you did your academic course. Internship at a different hospital or in India is NOT allowed under FMGL 2021.

3NEET Mandatory Before Admission

You must qualify NEET-UG before joining the foreign medical course (MD/MBBS equivalent). BSBio is exempt since it is pre-medical, not the medical degree itself.

4English Medium of Instruction

The entire course must be taught in English medium. You must obtain an official English medium certificate from your university.

5WDOMS Listing Mandatory

Your university MUST be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS). Verify at search.wdoms.org BEFORE paying any fees.

6Same Institution Rule

Your academic course AND internship must be at the same institution. Transfers between universities are generally not permitted unless under specific NMC-approved schemes (like Ukraine Academic Mobility).

7Eligibility Certificate from NMC

Post-2021 students should obtain an Eligibility Certificate from NMC before joining the foreign medical course. This proves NEET qualification and basic eligibility.

✓Before Admission

• Verify college on search.wdoms.org — must be listed
• Confirm 54-month MD program (not old 4-year program)
• Qualify NEET-UG before MD admission (BSBio exempt)
• Obtain NMC Eligibility Certificate
• Confirm English medium certificate available

✓During Study

• Maintain passport with valid visa stamps and entry/exit records
• If ANY online classes taken (2020-2022), demand compensation certificate with extended study period
• Ensure transcript specifies theory, clinical subjects, and mandatory clerkship
• Complete 12-month internship at the same university

✓After Graduation

• Get transcript apostilled and authenticated by Indian Embassy Manila
• Clear FMGE (or NExT when implemented)
• Apply for provisional registration with State Medical Council
• Complete 12-month CRMI in India (7.5% cap applies)
• Get permanent registration only after ALL verification

1Primary Medical Qualification

You must hold a primary medical qualification (MD/MBBS equivalent) awarded by a medical institution outside India.

2WDOMS Listing

Your university MUST be listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) at the time of your admission.

3NEET Qualification

You must have qualified NEET-UG before joining the foreign medical course (for admissions post-2018).

4Course Duration

Minimum 54 months academic study + 12 months internship at the same institution.

5Online Compensation (NEW 2026)

If any portion was studied online, you must have a valid compensation certificate with extended study period details. See the March 2026 notification above.